The unusually high number of flight delays and cancellations that have frustrated travelers and disrupted vacations this summer may worsen as families squeeze in vacations before school starts, an airport official warned.

“August is typically one of our busiest months in terms of air traffic,” said James Bennett, chief executive officer of the authority that operates Dulles International Airport and Reagan National Airport. “We have a ways to go before things slow down in September. It has been a very challenging summer.”

Usually the delays do not last more than a few hours, but several times this summer, a large storm system has wrought so much havoc on flight schedules that travelers have spent the night in an airport terminal instead of their vacation spot. Dulles and National airports have personnel who distribute blankets to passengers stranded overnight and make sure concession stands stay open to serve the travelers.

“It seems like that service is always active,” Bennett said.

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AAA Mid-Atlantic spokeswoman Martha Meade advises passengers to factor possible flight delays into their travel plans. Travelers should bring snacks with them and give themselves time to visit a restroom before boarding the plane.

“If you arrive just in time to get on the plane under the assumption that you can visit the restroom and get something to eat and drink within a few minutes, you may find yourself uncomfortable for more than a few minutes,” Meade said.

Nationally, only 68.1 percent of flights departed on time in June, the worst performance since 1995. Last June, 73 percent of flights were on schedule. Cancellations also increased significantly in June, according to the federal Bureau of Transportation Statistics, with 2.7 percent of flights canceled, compared with just 1.7 percent a year earlier.

Aviation experts are blaming the poor performance on packed airplanes and bad weather. A plane with a passenger in every seat takes longer to load than an emptier one, for example, especially as travelers have to spend more time going through security screening. Air traffic is also easily thrown off by heavy thunderstorms, which are unpredictable and wreak more havoc on flight schedules than winter blizzards.

jrogalsky@dcexaminer.com

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